My Experience,
I had DirectTv when they first came out, installed it myself because cable was like $90/month and DirecTV was like $29 (this was 10 years ago). Switched to Dish and HATED it for the same reason others say they did not like direcTV, the channels would take like 10 seconds EACH to change. I paid an early term penalty to get my DirecTV back. This was...5 years ago, and the time it takes to switch channels is VERY equipment related, so I am sure newer Dish equipment does not have this problem, but it is worth mentioning that my DirecTV equipment NEVER had that problem.
Where I live now, I had DirecTV with one Tivo Unit (not DVR, actual Tivo) which I got for free, free installation. This was a new unit, to the guy who was given a used piece of junk, I am sorry you must have pissed in someone's Wheaties. I had east AND west coast feeds from New York and LA respectively. I moved last summer and canceled, then moved back. When I moved back in the good news is I got another free DVR (not Tivo, and I do not like it as much as the Tivo), another free installation, but they no longer offered East Coast feeds, and my local channels were from Bakersfield, which must be the dumbest, most amateur newscast I have EVER seen. I am fairly certain they use the local high school's AV club or something. So now I have DVR in the Master Bedroom, and Tivo in the living room. I have ALWAYS been happy with the service. You want to add or change your package, you do it online and within 2 minutes you can start watching the new channels.
My 2c
